3 THREE WOMEN IN SCIENCE SMASHING STEREOTYPES TODAY

For a long time, women in science have been a rare breed. But here at Science Boffins, we’re on a mission to help change that. This year, the theme for British Science Week is all about celebrating the diverse people and careers in the fields of science and engineering. So here at Science Boffins, to coincide with International Women’s Day on 8 March, we’re taking a look at the current women in science who are smashing the stereotype of white men in lab coats. Here are three shaking up the status quo.

DR
PRIYANKA JOSHI

Biochemist
Dr Priyanka Joshi is a research fellow at UC Berkeley and University of Cambridge. Her groundbreaking
research into Alzheimer’s will help with early diagnosis and eventual prevention
of the disease.

“I believe everyone has an innate potential
to excel in the field they truly love, if they work and focus hard towards it,
and seize the opportunities they are presented with,” says 31-year-old biochemist
Priyanka. Her research focuses on understanding the molecular underpinnings of
Alzheimer’s Disease, the leading form of dementia. Currently 50 million people
across the world are living with dementia, with these numbers only set to
double in the next 20 years. Priyanka’s research will therefore not only help
millions of people, but also help inspire a generation of girls into medicine
as she leads the charge as one in a the wave of young women in science shaking
up the community.

“The world
of science primarily just sees good science, and that is what the focus should
largely be,” says Priyanka. “But a research environment that encourages good
science will provide equal opportunities and not discriminate based on gender.
We must have better policies to support women and ensure that they stay in the
game to reach higher positions. Shared parental leave, childcare benefits at
work, conference childcare bursaries are just steps towards this support. And
yes, alongside, we must cheer on for women and make their notable achievements
more visible. We have so many remarkable women role models; the belief should
be: if they can do it, so can we.”

DR
EVELYN TELFER

Dr Evelyn
Telfer is a reproductive biologist and a professor at the University of
Edinburgh. She is first scientist to ever grow a human egg to maturity in a laboratory.

As well as smashing stereotypes like other women in science, Dr Evelyn Telfer has been working to help women by finding a way to preserve fertility. By growing a human egg in a lab from ovarian tissue, her research opens doors for women dealing with premature fertility loss – such as those undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy. This is key in the fight for equality as many would argue that until women aren’t limited by a time frame on their fertility, there’s no chance for gender parity.

For Evelyn, the research process has also
been one which has demonstrated not only the ability for women to support each
other, but also their willingness to help each other when asked. “During
a visiting professorship in Sweden, I worked with a Finnish clinical scientist
called Outi Hovatta,” recalls Evelyn. “She had an ethically-approved programme which
asked women at the time of caesarean section if they would donate a small piece
of their ovarian tissue for research. I was surprised by how many did – it’s
probably the last thing on your mind as you’re about to give birth. It was a
humbling process because we couldn’t have done any of this work without women
donating and making such a supportive, selfless decision.”

DR
FAITH UWADIAE

Dr
Faith Uwadiae is an immunologist for the Francis Crick Institute – a biomedical
discovery institute with a focus on the biology underlying human health.

As a woman of colour in science, Dr Faith
Uwadiae is smashing stereotypes. But she’s also well known for campaigning for
Black scientists to receive more recognition in their fields. During Black
History Month in 2018, she committed to highlighting a different success story
from a different Black scientist every day to help raise awareness of their
achievements.

“Black scientists are clearly underrepresented by do exist, and we need to hear more them,” she wrote in a blog post for Imperial College London. Speaking out about the need universities to encourage more students from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds into STEM subjects, she also believe institutions need to offer more people of colour positions on their staff.

“Sadly I’ve never been lectured by a Black scientist,” she writes. “When I attend scientific conferences or events I am frequently one of the few Black people in the room and often the only Black woman. In fact, Black professors are heavily underrepresented making up just 0.6% of UK professors, of which only 25 are Black female professors.”

However, she remains hopeful for the change
to be affected for Black women in science in future. “I can’t wait until I am no longer waiting for
the First Nobel Prize in Science to be awarded to a Black person.”